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10.28.2008

I Want a Merry Maid (& Other Stuff)

I really love waking up with the cat pretzeled around me for warmth. I used to have a Yorkshire Terrier and two tuxedo cats who pretty much made sleeping a constant maneuvering and shifting in order not to disturb them while ensuring my own comfort. I've always liked sharing my bed with my four-legged friends. Our cat rarely sleeps with us, so when I wake up with her warm little body curled up next to me, I really like it. And for some reason, when I wake up with that coziness, I'm spared my daily upon-waking panic attack.

For the past 24 hours I've been trying to get myself motivated to do a thorough cleaning on this house, including the self-cleaning oven. That may sound like a simple thing: turn on, shut door, wait, then sweep out the charred debris. No, not so easy. The cleaning cycle is so high that it makes the downstairs really, really hot, and it stinks besides. Last time I did it, Nettl and Heather actually got sick from the fumes. I think I'll have to do it early in the morning after they leave for the day. The guys and I can take it...
I was checking out the cost of having the carpets cleaned and it's not as bad as I'd thought. Our entire house would cost beween two and three-hundred dollars. We'll probably have to do it ourselves though, which means that I'll be down in the back all through the month of December. But it has to get done somehow. I hate carpet for the most part, and this is cream-colored. Or, it was cream-colored five years ago. We've cleaned it ourselves a couple of times, but it's overdue again.

Keeping windows clean and sparkling is impossible in Oklahoma. In the summer, the winds cover the panes with red sand, in the winter there's snow and sleet, and spring and autumn bring the glorious thunder and rain storms. We've been lucky though, we haven't had the windows blown out altogether by a tornado. The bathrooms are always a challenge: it's a dusty state and no room, however tucked away, can escape it. And everyone seems to think the kitchen cleans itself.

I installed a door sweep thingy on the front door last night, which cut out nearly all of the cold draft that's plagued the entry in the past. That was a cheap fix: $7.50. I still have to get some weather stripping for the door and window jambs; I'm tired of putting rolled-up towels and ugly strips of duct tape everywhere every winter. With fuel costs what they are, the leaks and drafts are no longer just a comfort issue. Two weeks ago I got new bulbs for the downlights that go all around the house's exterior, but they're still sitting on the kitchen counter waiting for me to drag the ladder out of the garage. I think I'll do that today.

At the party the other night, Jaeson gave me a sweatshirt upon the front of which is: Careful, or you'll end up in my novel. Truth be told, everyone's already in there to some degree or another, usually in dibs and dabs, or in composite characters. I know that's completely off topic. Just wanted to share.